This month will see millions hitting the road to visit relatives and vacation destinations. Here are some expert tips to enjoy your trip while minimizing risk:
Before you leave
- Think carefully about what you need to bring. Typically, a credit card, a debit card, and your driver’s license will suffice. Leave other cards and ID at home. That way, if your purse or wallet goes missing, the damage is minimized.
- Secure your home. Make sure all locks and lightbulbs work; stop the mail and newspaper; and, if possible, have a neighbor or friend stop by occasionally to avoid that deserted-house feeling, which burglars can pick out instantly.
- Back up your devices. These days, most of us travel with an array of phones, tablets, and laptops. Back yours up so that if anything unfortunate happens during your trip, your data lives on.
While you’re traveling
Use credit, not debit. Credit cards have better protection for consumers, offering more recourse if there’s a problem.
- Lock up! While on a festive vacation, it’s easy to forget that travel destinations are favorite haunts of thieves and con men. Even in a remote ski cabin, lock up when you leave.
- Don’t share too much. Resist the temptation to boast about what a great time you’re having over social media. Criminals could use this information to burgle your home.
- Beware free wifi. Always seek out password-protected wifi hotspots. If you do use a free hotspot in a hotel or elsewhere, you should either connect over a virtual private network, or be very careful about the type of information you transmit.
© Good Sense Security LLC — December, 2019